Brake for automobiles.



No. 767,959.. PATENTED AUG. 16, 1904. C. M. RHODES. v BRAKE FOR AUTOMDBILES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 18. 1903.l AN0 lNOBEL.

2 sums-snm 1'.

Wl /vfs 1 -INI/ENTOR WMF/YM@ No. 767,959. PATENTED AUG. 16, 1904. 0| Me BRAKE FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 18. 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

1 mmlllm Illlllllllill" UNITED STATES Patented August 16, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

BRAKE FOR AUTOMOBILES.

SPECIFICATION forming part ofrLetters .Patent No. 767,959, dated. August 16, 1904. Application led .Tune 18, 1903. Serial No. 161,989.` (No model.)

To all whom if may concern.-

' Be it knownthat I, CHARLES M. RHODES, a vcitizen of the United States of America, re-

siding at Steubenville, in the 'county of .Iefferson and Sta-te vof Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in'Brakes for Automobiles, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in brakes for automobiles, and has particular reference V13o-that type in which in lieu of arranging the braklng means adjacent the wheel, so as to frictionally engage the same,vsu1table friction lmeans is arranged directly upon the axle at a point beneath the vehicle-body.

Further, the invention contemplates the provision of a simple means for operating the braking means or clutches, the vsame being disposed within the reaches of the runninggear and at a point adjacent their forward ends, the same being provided with means which is engaged byan operating means located in proximity tothe forward end of the vehicle whereby the same can be readily actuated.

A further object of this invention is toconstruct the .casing in which the friction members and the member-engaging means are inclosed of such construction that the same can be employed as a supporting means for the rear ends of thevehicle-springs and prevent lateral displacement thereof.

FurtherV objects'and advantages will be setv forth in the following description, and those features upon which I desire protection specifcally referred to in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals of-reference indicate like parts throughout the several views, Figure 1 is a sectional view taken on line a' m of Fig. 2, with the vehicle-body indicated in dotted lines. Fig. 2. is a top plan view'of the front and rear trusses and thereach-bars of the runninggear with my improvement applied thereto. Fig. 3 is a central horizontal sectional view .of one of the clutches. Fig. 1 is an enlargedv kside elevation of one of the clutches, with one .ofthe end sections of the casing removed; and Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view thereof.

l and Q'indicate the front and rear axles of the running-gear, and 3 the reaches thereof, which reaches are preferably hollow and pro.- vided at points adjacent their forward ends with cut-outportions, in which are mounted suitable braces or` keepers 4c, the function of which will be hereinafter referred to.

Mounted upo'n the front axle and bearing such relation thereto that the same can readily sOA revolve therein'arethe rests or uprights-,

vwhich are formedy on their upper faces with spaced-apart ribs or flanges to form seats therebetween.

. Mounted on the rear axle are the casings 7, in which the clutch mechanisms are arranged.

These casings are also provided on their upper faces with vertically-disposed ribs alining with the ribs 6. The mechanism arranged in the respective casings comprises the fixed disks 8, one lof which is provided with an integrally-stepped hub 9 and on the outer stepped portion of which is keyed the other fixed disk or member. Mounted between these fixed disks is the independently-movable operating member 10, the same being provided at diam'etricallyy opposite points with extended portions formed with cam-slots 11, in which are slidably mounted pins 12, carrying on their opposite ends the brake-shoes 13,

adapted for engagement with the fixed friction members heretofore referred to. In order to prevent 'any tilting of these shoes as the same are being operated or moved inward vand outward as the disk 10 is rotated, I provide the same on their outer faces with the extended portions-or ribs 14, which are received in guides carried by the inner walls of the respective casings. These guides comprise pairs of spaced-apart parallel ribs 15.

lindicates longitudinal shafts arranged in the respective reaches of the running-gear, the same having their rear ends projecting into the casing 7 and carrying ata point within the same the worms 17, which mesh with worm-teeth 18, formed in the upper edge of the movable or operating members 10. The forward ends of these shafts 16 project into the keepers or knuckles 4 and carry the small beveled gears 19, which mesh with large beveled gears 20, mounted on a common shaft 21. By this construction it will be obvious that as the shaft 21 is oscillated or given a partial turn by reason of the large beveled gears 20 and the small gears 19 the shafts 16 will be rotated to a greater degree than the first-named shaft or, in other words, the movement thereof increased.

The shaft 21 can be operated in any desired manner, and in the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one manner of performing the operation, which is a very simple one. This means comprises a lever 22, provided at its upper end with a pivoted head 23, which can be readily engaged by the foot. 24 is the spring for moving the lever 22 to its normal position.

The Ways provided by the ribs 6 and 6, respectively, are adapted to receive the opposite ends of the alining springs 25.

Y In operation when it is desired to apply the brakes the lever 22 is moved forwardly in the direction of the arrow, thereby imparting movement to the shaft 21 and to the gears 2O and 19, respectively, which in turn rotate the shafts 16, carrying the worm 17. The worms when rotated impart a rotary movement to the movable operating members 10, and they by reason of their cam-slots operate the brakeshoes. When the foot of the operator is removed from the head 23 of the lever 22, the spring 24 will turn the lever 22 to its normal position, and thereby release the brakes.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated the casings for the respective clutches as formed in two sections connected by securing-bolts extending laterally therethrough; but it will be obvious that casings embodying modified constructions may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

While I have shown the reaches extending the entire distance between the front and rear axles, this is not absolutely essential, inasmuch as the same can be made shorter and secured to the vehicle-body at an intermediate point without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a friction clutch comprising fixed members, a movable member formed with teeth, brake-shoes operatively connected with the said movable-member, a Worm meshing with the teeth of the said movable member and means for operating said worm.

2. In combination with the reach-bars and the rear axle of the vehicle running-gear, a

braking means mounted on the said axle, and means arranged in the said reach-bars for aetuating the said braking means.

3. In combination with the reach-bars and a pair of friction-clutches mounted on the. rear axle, shafts mounted in the said reach-bars, means carried by the said shaft for operating the said friction-clutches, and means `for operating the said shafts.

4. In combination with the reach-bars and an axle of the vehicle running-gear, braking means mounted on the said axle, shafts mounted in the said reach-bars operatively connected with the said braking means and means for operating the said shafts simultaneously.

5. In combination with the reach-bars and an axle of .the running-gear, a plurality ol friction-clutches mounted on the said axle, shafts mounted in the said reach-bars andbeing operatively connected to the said frictionclutches, and means arranged intermediate said reach-bars for actuating the said shafts.

6. In combination with the axle, a plurality of fixed members, carried by the said axle, brake-shoes, a movable member operatively connected with the said brake-shoes, a shaft, means for operating said shaft, and means whereby as the said shaft is rotated, movement will be imparted to the said movable member.

7. The combination with the rotatablymounted members, of a member movable independently of the first named members, means operated by the said last-named member for engagement with the said first-named members, and means for actuating said lastnamed member comprising a worm meshing with teeth carried by the said member, and means for rotating the said worm.

8. The combination with the reach-bars and an axle of the running-gear, of shafts mounted in the said reach-bars, braking means operatively connected to the said shafts, and being mounted on the said axle, beveled gears carried by said shafts, a transverse shaft :arrying beveled gears meshing with the said firstnamed beveled gears, and means for operating the said last-named shaft.

9. The combination with the reach-bars, of a shaft arranged intermediate the same, shafts arranged in the said reach-bars and being operatively connected with the said first-named shaft, a plurality of revolubly-mounted friction members, brake-shoes, and means operated by the said shaft for operating the said brake-shoes.

10. In a friction-clutch, the combination with the shaft, a plurality of members rigidly secured to the shaft, and a member loosely mounted between said fixed members, said last-named member being provided with teeth an operating means engaging the teeth of said member, and brake-shoes operated by said IOO llO

last-named member into engagement with the said fixed members.

11. In combination with a plurality of rotatably-mounted friction members, a plurality 5 of loosely-mounted members, brake-shoes aetuated by the said last-named members, and the said loosely mounted members being formed with teeth, a plurality of shafts each having a toothed portion engaging the toothed portions of one of said loosely-mounted mem- IO bers, and meansgfor operating said shafts simultaneously. l

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of tWo Witnesses. CHARLES M. RHODES.

Witnesses:

H. L. ALLEN, ROBERT'I. SCOTT. 

